Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Altos del Plata Malbec 2011

Even though I haven't yet had my fill of turkey (or ham. Or pie. Or crab oobie doobies.), I'm glad to be moving away from the Pinot Grigio's and Sauvignon Blanc's of Thanksgiving meals and back into my favorite territory: the wonderful world of reds. Which by the way, are perfectly OK to drink with Thanksgiving meals; I just didn't.

and I would've gotten away with itif it wasn't for you rotten kids!

So, on this lovely Tuesday I am sampling the 2011 Altos del Plata Malbec, a delightfully predictable offering for all you other Malbec fans out there. By the way, I think the word "predictable" takes a lot of crap from people. We roll our eyes when Grandpa tells us the same story for the umpteenth time. We cringe at stories with a "Scooby-Doo" ending. But there's something to be said for predictability. As far as wine goes, it's nice to know what you're getting before you even open the bottle.

The Altos del Plata Malbec delivers a reliable, strong, fruity flavor, with aromas of plum and blueberry (I think...my nose is pretty stuffed up today). The sip provides a powerful slap of jam, more than just-a-hint of vanilla and a bit of oak. I know, I know; I keep saying I don't like oak, but then telling you I like such-and-such wine and THAT'S oaked...I don't mind it when it's not overdone. And when I say strong fruity flavor, I mean it; elements of the sip hang around long after you've finished it. To summarize: the Altos del Plata is a Malbec. It tastes like a Malbec.

Also: let this one open up for a bit; give it 20-30 minutes after you pop the cork to aerate.

We're pretty much out of food in our house, so I'm not going to tell you what I ate with this wine. Suffice it to say that it involved American cheese, Stove Top stuffing and a chicken patty. The rest is up to your imagination, and I'm unfortunately unable to recommend pairing the Altos with whatever-it-is you can find in your kitchen. That being said, I think it will taste GREAT with the pork chops I plan to make for dinner.

That's all for this week; I'm trying to keep things short and sweet. Like me :o)

About Me

Lyssa Craig is a writer/ shop owner/ spirits merchant/ workaholic/ mom who knows a little bit about wine and probably has her fingers in too many pies. All of the opinions and views expressed in this blog are completely subjective, entirely her own and are in no way representative of any wineries, distribution companies, sales representatives, or anyone else really. AKA nobody pays her to do this, she just likes to write and drink. Thanks for reading and please remember to imbibe responsibly!